THE FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN; Extracted from the Writings of R. BARCLAY, W. PENN, G. FOX, AND OTHERS OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. WITH SOME NOTES, FROM AUTHORS OF OTHER DENOMINATIONS. "Acquaint thyself with God and be at peace." "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ Jesus shall all be made "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of STOCKPORT, PRINTED BY T. CLAYE, LOWER HILLGATE: 1821. PREFACE. THE view of the compiler in publishing these Extracts is to promote purity of heart, by pointing out the danger of remaining in an unregenerate and polluted state, in which acceptance with God is not to be attained; and to shew the necessity of our attending to that divine light, the light of Christ, which shines in our hearts, and convinces of and reproves for sin there, and leads to a detestation and abhorrence of it; and as the soul yields in obe. dience to the convictions received, power is gradually given to forsake and overcome those corruptions and evil inclinations, by which it was formerly held in bondage. Unless we come to this light, this divine gift, (which because it makes manifest the evil and the good, is called light,) and submit to the redeeming power of Christ, the cleansing operation of his Spirit, how can we have any claim to the religion of the Gospel of Christ, by which we are called to holiness-i. e. a being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever? so that we should not live after the flesh, the first and fallen nature, but receive, walk after, and be governed by, the redeeming Spirit of Christ. This is indeed a subject of such importance, that it should be our daily care to feel and know that the seed of Christ reigns in us, over our first or fallen nature. To be inward in our minds, and submit to the regulating power of truth, inwardly revealed, needs not hinder us in our outward calling; for truth expands, enlarges, and opens the mind or understanding, so that as the law of the Lord is meditated in, the hands may with ease be industriously engaged in providing for the body. By this regulating power of truth, we are assisted in our outward concerns; and as the true seed reigns over evil in us, we are enabled to do all to the honour and glory of God; and by thus using the talent or talents received, if suddenly taken out of time, as hath been the case with many we have known, we shall be prepared and in readiness, through adorable mercy, to hear the language, "Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." That we may each of us maintain such a state of watchfulness and care as to be thus prepared, is the desire of the publisher of these Extracts. EXTRACTS. " FROM R. BARCLAY. NOT to dive into the many curious notions which some have concerning the condition of Adam before the fall, all agree in this, that thereby he came to a very great loss, not only in the things which relate to the outward man, but in regard to that true fellowship and communion he had with God. This loss was signified unto him in the command, "For in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Gen. ii. 17. This death could not be an outward death, or the dissolution of the outward Man; for as to that, he did not die yet many hundred years after; so that it must needs respect his spiritual life and communion with God. The consequence of this Fall, besides that which relates to the fruits of the earth, is also expressed Gen. iii. 24. "So he drove out the Man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Now whatsoever literal signification this may have, we may safely ascribe to this Paradise a mystical signification, and truly account it that spiritual communion and fellowship, which the Saints obtain with God by Jesus Christ; to whom only |